


The Dark Side of Arcee

by metalhawk



Category: Transformers: Prime
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-17
Updated: 2017-05-17
Packaged: 2018-11-01 23:57:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 784
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10932681
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/metalhawk/pseuds/metalhawk
Summary: Arcee's more murderous side, her assassin one, resurfaces. Luckily she hasn't a brilliant, loving, family to help her through it.





	The Dark Side of Arcee

Arcee watched as Starscream's missle soared perilously across the battlefield, towards Smokescreen, who was otherwise occupied by a Vehicon.

"Smokescreen!" She cried out as it impacts her friend, a _kid_ dragged into a war that doesn't deserve one _bit_ of what he's getting. The missle explodes, sending Smokescreen backwards. Her mouth hangs agape as she fumbles, calling Ratchet for medical support.

Even still, Arcee is filled to the brim with anger and hatred. She hates Starscream for killing Cliff, for constantly ruining her life and the lives of her teammates, for joining a cause that ruined her and her sisters' lives, for _manipulating_ and _deceiving_ and _betraying_ —and now this. Arcee is fed _up_.

It's time, Arcee supposes, to take matters into her own servos.

She pulls two metal, square shaped handles from her subspace. They feel so good, to be in her servos again. She has a sudden rush of nostalgia for Cybertron, when she used her blades in every fight.

She ignites the pink swords, their blades resembling the flames of her anger and rage. She growls, deep in her throat, at Starscream. He only stares at her, snickering.

Then she runs. She runs, even as the GroundBridge opens and Smokescreen recedes through it, even as Ratchet yells at her to stop, even as Wheeljack comes out to catch her, she runs. Her feet cut into the ground with every step. And nobody is going to stop her.

It's been far too long since she put her assassination skills to use. Too long since she's held her swords and _killed_. Too long.

Starscream simply raises his missle, dismissing her capability. She cries out in anger and severs the missle clean off, just how her bond with Cliff went out.

The anger seems to have taken her over by now, Wheeljack's pleas for her to stop are lost instantly. Starscream yells, but sneers at her as backs into the wall of the cave.

"That isn't an Autobot thing to do, Arcee," he dares say.

"What would you know about the 'Autobot thing to do'?! You killed my partner, you interrogate my friends with no mercy, and you've slaughtered more than I can count! Don't you dare tell me that this is not the Autobot way."

"If I do recall," he says, and she easily detects the nervousness creeping into his voice as she etches her swords towards him. His own servo creeps dangerously, his spare missile making its way to her face. She doesn't find it in herself to care. "You've killed hundreds. You once tortured Skywarp for six years."

The way he says the name…Skywarp meant something to Starscream. But the fact means absolutely nothing to Arcee. She just wants to end him.

"Arcee! Arcee, stop!" Wheeljack shouts. It almost pulls her clear of the murderous mood. But then—

 _"You're a murderer_."

She grits her dentals. She screams, swinging her sizzling blades and aiming their trajectory right for Starscream's spark, just as he raises his missile at her.

A servo on her shoulder. She jolts, breathing hard, and her efforts to kill shut down.

"Arcee, what're ya doin'?!" Wheeljack asks, panicked.

Arcee's optics go wide and still. Her swords drop to the ground, singeing the sand beneath. She wants to laugh, or cry or scream—but she can't. Her vocalizer seemingly short-circuits.

She heard Wheeljack mutter something to Starscream, something along the lines of: "Go the frag away. _Now_."

He pulls her into his arms, and she doesn't move. "What was that about, sweetspark?"

"I don't...know," she whimpers.

"C'mon. Let's getcha back to base," he says, and lifts her up and carries her.

He tried coaxing her on the way, they all do, but Arcee is too wrapped up in what Starscream said—she was a monster, a murderer. She's killed so many, lost so much....oh, she remised to remember the days when she, Elita and Chromia were care-free... _innocent_ , she dared say.

Nothing got through to her…until Optimus knelt in front of her, sincere optics staring into hers. He wasn't furious or disgusted like she might've guessed, but _forgiving_.

"You aren't alone in this, Arcee," he says in a surprisingly soft voice. "We are here to help, we are your family. And we care for you."

All the other Autobots smiled at her, saying reassuring things and comforting her. Arcee felt something she hadn't felt in a long time: _happiness_.

Then: Smokescreen hobbled away from the medical bed.

"Smokescreen—" Ratchet starts.

Optimus places a hand on his conjunx's shoulder. "Let him go, old friend."

He walks towards her, and smiles softly. He envelopes her in a hug, and one-by- one, all the other Autobots join in too.

 

 

 

 


End file.
